The Clock Turns
by SeptemberMom
Summary: Story by Redhot Scandal picks up after episode 4x09. Olivia has been taken. This story is now rated M (from previous rating of T)
1. Chapter 1

Olivia sits tied up to a chair. She is still wearing her black tank top and pajama bottoms, and a white cloth covers her mouth. She flutters her eyes open and is blinded by the sun seeping through the large glass door to her right. She scans the beautifully decorated, spacious room, bewilderment fills her eyes as she tries to recall the last moments of last night. She remembers removing her shawl, placing her wine glass on the side table by the couch, being assailed by the smell of chloroform, and finally darkness.

However, at this moment, though her screams are muffled by the cloth covering her mouth, her screams are loud enough to be heard... A tall, menacing looking man carrying a glass of wine enters the room. By all appearances this man could be Kubiak's twin!

The menacing looking man sneers at her with the nastiest of grins saying, "I wouldn't waste my breath Miss Pope." His accent is thick Southern.

Olivia, defiantly, continues to wiggle and fidget, and stare the menacing man dead-on. With exasperation, the man strides over to where she is and harshly removes the cloth from her mouth, letting it dangle around her neck.

"What?!" He asks

"WHERE IS HE?! YOU TELL HIM TO COME LOOK ME IN THE EYE, RIGHT NOW!" Olivia replies.

The man, thrown off by her comments, retorts, "There's no one here but you and me, sweetheart."

"LIAR! WHERE IS MY FATHER... HE SENT YOU... BRING HIM TO ME!"

"Listen lady, I don't know who your Daddy is or why he'd have sent someone like me for you. Now, shut up and drink this!" He shoves the glass of wine to her mouth and forces her to drink. Olivia spits the wine in his face. Infuriated, the menacing man violently grabs and squishes her chin with his rough hand. "I am under strict orders not to hurt you Miss Pope, but HONEY, if you continue to test me... AND that's really expensive wine you ungrateful little..."

"Do you know who I am? The people behind me? What do you want? Money? Fame? I can get you whatever you want... just let me go."

"Ohhhhh, Miss Pope, this goes so far beyond me. I'm just a pawn darlin'. Power is the devil Miss Pope, it makes you do things. Things you never imagined. No ma'am, I'm doin' this for my country... I'm just a pawn. 'Keep her there until HE makes a choice.' Those are my orders."

Tears begin to roll down Olivia's face. As the torrent of pictures flash through her mind... The wine stain on the floor... "My Country." ...West Angola... "HE." ...the truth dawns on her, the room begins to spin and her stomach begins to knot as though her insides are being shredded to bits.

"You are SICK! You'll never get away with this. HE won't let you. A WAR? FOR NOTHING? WHAT KIND OF PATRIOT ARE YOU?"

"Lady, I am not here to listen to your moral mumbo jumbo. Instead of worrying about me, you should really be more concerned about your President. Is he a patriot or is he a bitch for Olivia Pope? You and I both know how this is going to work."

"You think you know everything... YOU KNOW NOTH..."

He has had enough. Before she can finish her sentence he covers her mouth again. "SHUUUUUT UP!"

She fidgets and muffles for another minute or two but to no avail. Defeated, she hangs her head as more tears roll down her pitiable face.

/

_Six years ago. Oklahoma. Night before Governor Grant's acceptance speech- primaries. Hotel room, needs no number._

Tears rolling down Olivia's joyous face.

"She said yes?" Olivia clasps her hands over her mouth as Fitz puts the phone receiver back in its cradle. He marches to where she is standing, picks her up in one swift motion and begins to plant kisses all over her face.

"She said, yes! Sally Langston is going to be my running mate. Lord help us!" He says, jokingly.

Olivia can't help but laugh at the irony of his comment.

"She'll help us win the big scary states, as Cyrus likes to say. ...And women! Women won't vote for Reston."

"_mmmh... _The only woman whose vote I am interested in is yours, Miss Pope. This was all you."

He peers into her big browns with his baby blues and Olivia's heart jolts; her soul is wide awake, dancing in the loving eyes inches away from hers. The corners of his mouth turn up. He gently wipes the tears from her eyes with his thumbs. Their noses touch and for a few moments they close their eyes and just breathe, their hearts beating to the same drum. Olivia slides her hands behind his head and lifts her mouth to him. Not quite ready to break the serenity, he grazes her mouth with his and opens his eyes to look at her. He is pleasantly surprised to find her looking at him too. They finally kiss. With their eyes open. Relishing in each and every taste, each and every sound, each and every sight.

"It was you," Olivia mumbles between kisses. "I believe in you... I'm a fixer but I can't give someone heart... That's all you..."

They continue to kiss as he drives her towards the bed. She hungrily unbuttons his shirt as he slides his hands underneath her. On the bed now shirtless, Fitz lies on top of his nearly topless Livvie. He brushes back the fringe of bangs and kisses her forehead.

"I'm running for President now."

"I know."

"I'm still married."

"I know."

"I don't want to lose you."

"You won't."

"How should we..."

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me, Fitz. I don't wanna talk or think or... it's you and me... right now, that's what we have... that's all that matters. So, KISS ME."

"O'kay."

With pleasure, he kisses her. ON THE MOUTH, to start. He works his way down and kisses the rest of her. WITH HIS TONGUE. There is no talking. There is no thinking. Just Fitz and Olivia, breathing.

/

_Today. Oval Office. He stands looking out __**the window**__ (a.k.a, Hope), looking out into God knows where today. Usually it's Vermont, but today it may be Oklahoma, hotel room that needs no number._

He looks down at the picture in his hands. A picture of Olivia taken while on the trail during the first campaign, in her Grant for President t-shirt, her bangs -with a strand out of place that he so desperately wants to slide into place-, her fitted jeans and a smile from ear to ear. She looks so beautiful. So young. So innocent. He clenches his jaw in anger.

"Mr. President, Sir, we need to talk about what we are doing about this West Angola situation."

"Cyrus, there is nothing to talk about. We have to go to war. We're going to the situation room to discuss military options."

"Sir... WE CANNOT... WE CAN NOT... Sir... please... look at me."

Fitz slowly turns around, distress written all over his face, he tearfully pleads,

"What do you want me to do Cy? My own party! They have her. They have my girl... OUR girl. Our 'guys' searched all last night. Nothing. They hold all the cards. I couldn't live with myself if... either way... I won't be able to look at myself in the mirror. It's Liv, Cyrus. It's Olivia. I have no choice. We are going to war with West Angola. We have to."

Cyrus stares at him with both pity and desperation. The look exchanged between them is priceless. Cyrus looks at Fitz as if he is asking the President of the United States of America if he has gone mad; Fitz lifts an eyebrow in defiance, that he has indeed gone mad.

/

Huck nervously knocks on Kim's door.

"Hola."

"Hola. Thank you for letting me see him before school."

"Come in. I'm still not sure how to handle all this. If I even believe it."

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I need to see my son. He needs his father. I need him to know who I am, Kim. Please, I..."

"It's o'kay, ...Huck?... That's what it says in those files..."

Wide-eyed, Huck nods.

"That's who they made me. I wanted to quit when Javi was born. They took me. They put me in a hole. I was homeless. I owe Olivia, my boss, my life."

"The same boss who has you on heists with your kid and killing people?"

"No, you don't understand... It's complicated... Who I am, what I do... We're the good guys. I'm the good guy now..."

Kim moves in to pat his shoulder but Huck abruptly moves away. Upon seeing the pain in his eyes she changes the subject.

"Javi is upstairs getting ready. He's still traumatized. I just want to be clear that the only reason I'm allowing this is for Javi, and the hope that the man I married is in there somewhere. I don't even know who I married. If you hurt him..."

Javi interrupts her rant. He looks petrified.

"Mom, what is her doing here?"

"It's alright, _corazon, _come here."

"Hello, Javi."

/

Huck enters OPA with the goofiest grin on his face.

"Huck, there you are, FINALLY! You're never late. What's going on?" Quinn asked.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing. You look happy. It's weird."

"Weird is good."

Quinn smirks and shakes her head at his comment.

"Where's Olivia?" Huck asks.

"I don't know. Also strange. She wanted us to work on getting Catherine exonerated."

"How? We're not lawyers."

"Hey..., I went to law school."

"Doesn't make you a lawyer."

"Huck... who are you right now? Witty too? Anyway, Catherine has a lawyer, a really good one. We need to build evidence."

In that moment, Jake barges into OPA like a chicken without a head. He obnoxiously inquires, "Have you heard from Olivia?"

"No. Why?" Huck asks.

"Did you call the President?" Quinn inquired. Both men throw her a look. "What? We all know what's up."

"No, she's gone. She was with me one second and the next she was gone."

"Jake, you're not making any sense," Quinn stated. "Just calm down and tell us what happened."

"I don't have time. I looked for her... all night. Someone took her. Find out what you can. I need to go. It's a matter of life or death."

Jake leaves in the same manner in which he entered. Huck and Quinn just stand there flabbergasted, watching the elevator doors close on the feverish maniac who just told them their boss was gone.

"What does he mean, _gone_?" Quinn demanded.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Oval Office_

"Sir, you're not thinking clearly. We can figure this out..." Cyrus tries to tell Fitz as Mellie storms into the office, leaving an exasperated Lauren to close the door.

"What happened with Karen, Fitz? Why is she here? Where is Olivia Pope? Is she here? Karen is **my** daughter, Fitz. **My** daughter! I don't understand why I have to find out things about my own daughter from someone else. Where is _she_!"

Fitz grimaces, rubs his eyes and bridge of his nose with his hand, grabs his jacket from the chair and puts it on as he says, "We are under attack, Mellie. A bomb in our own backyard! I am not taking any more chances with the people I love."

"That has nothing to do with Karen. You can't just uproot her life every time a little bomb explodes, _honey_. Your fear should have nothing to do with our kids."

"Mellie, I don't have time to explain to you why I want Karen here and not there right now. I have to get to the sit room. Cyrus, can you explain to her why a little bomb in our backyard warrants Karen's removal from boarding school?"

"Sir, ...this is not... "

"Cyrus...," Fitz pleads with his eyes, asking Cyrus to tell her something, anything, a lie, the truth... okay, so maybe not the truth, but whatever works. He just can't deal with Mellie in this moment. He pats Cyrus on the shoulder, sending him silent gratitude.

"Fine. I'll see you in the sit room, Sir."

"Thank you, Cyrus."

Mellie is absolutely aggravated as she watches Fitz walk out of the Oval. All her aggravation visibly etched in her chin dimple.

/

As though he needed a little more misery to this precious day, Fitz finds Jake Ballard waiting for him outside the Oval Office door.

"Mr. President..." Jake starts.

"Jake, I know why you're here. I'm handling it."

"I don't think you understand. It's Liv... she's gone. Someone took her."

"I know. I said, I'm handling it."

"How did you...? Never mind, I should have known better than to ask you for help. I'll find her myself!"

Fitz stops walking and looks back at Jake. Really looks at him. Fitz moves closer to him and states, to his face,

"One of these days, you're going to die trying to be her hero. I'm only saying this because you and I were once friends. Move on. She'll never be yours. You want to stand in the sun? That'll never happen with Olivia Pope. She doesn't want normal. You don't know her like I do. Go find some nice girl, get her fat, make some babies. Go get your normal. B613 is dead; _you_ don't have to be. Let. Her. Go."

Fitz looks at Jake with pity, pats his shoulder and leaves. With a look of indignation visible in his eyes, Jake snorts and watches Fitz leave.

/

_In a hallway, somewhere in the White House_

"Mr. President, I was just coming to your office. We have that meeting..."

"Change of plan, Abby. West Angola can't wait."

"Is everything okay, Sir...?"

"I don't have time to explain right now, Abby. I wish I could."

Confused, Abby watches as Fitz walks away; but is startled when Cyrus grabs her arm.

"Red..."

"What's going on, Cyrus?"

Cyrus furtively whispers, "I'm only telling you this because I think I can trust you and you are her friend."

"Whose friend? What are you talking about, Cyrus?"

"They have her. The Vice President, Lizzie... they have Olivia and they're blackmailing Fitz into taking us to war with West Angola. Red, you can not repeat this to anyone. Olivia's life depends on it."

Abby is astonished. The tears stinging her eyes threaten to spill down her face until she remembers where she is, she nods her head and clumsily wipes the tears from her eyes. The action did nothing to alleviate the lump in her throat though as Harrison's words echo in her mind.

/

_Yet another White House hallway_

Mellie encounters Andrew as she walks furiously through the corridor.

"Have you been avoiding me, Mellie?"

"And why would I be doing that, Andrew? ...You know when you screw a gal, you really screw her well."

"Did I do something?"

"You've done a lot for me, Andrew... for me, for Elizabeth, ...for a lot of women, I'm guessing."

Andrew pulls Mellie into the nearest room and pins her against the wall. He attempts to kiss her but she slaps him ...hard.

"It's not what it seems, Mellie." In a softer tone, "Nothing ever really is what it seems, is it? Lizzie and I ...we're nothing, she means nothing. I was doing what I had to do, for you, for _us_, Mellie. I have a plan."

"What plan is that exactly, ...hmm? Making me feel like shit?"

"Mellie, I love you. I want you to be in the White House with a man who loves _you_. Don't you want that too? Listen. I have Olivia Pope. My captive. I demanded Fitz declare war on West Angola if he wants her back. I don't think he's actually ballsy enough to do it though. I'm going to ask him to resign. You and I, Mellie. Can you imagine it? Running the White House... toghether? You, my First Lady?"

Not believing the words coming out of his mouth, "I can be a political monster, but what you are talking about is so far beyond... What you're telling me is ... it's treason. If your plan doesn't work, they'll crucify you. I can't do it."

"Come on Mel. Don't you want a little revenge? The things that man has put you through? We can do this together. I want you by my side. At least say you'll think about it."

She rubs her forehead and stares at him. Her face softens at the sight of his pleading eyes. "I should be so angry with you. But these feelings I have... I do want to watch him burn... so, okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay, I'll think about it."

/

As Jake walks along Pennsylvania Avenue a white van stops him in his path. Two large men in black, signal to him to come quietly. Inside the van Charlie and Rowan are waiting for him.

"Where is my daughter?!" Rowan asks in his usual calm but stern voice.

"I'm not sure, but I'll find her."

Rowan snorts.

"That night you came looking for me like a pet to his master... I am your God, Jake. You can't kill me. We had a deal: protect my daughter, keep her away from the President, and you get to live. That was the deal. I handed to you, my most precious treasure and you couldn't even keep her... CAN YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT, CAPTAIN JAKE BALLARD?"

Like a wounded deer on it's last leg, Jake supplicates.

"I will find her. Trust me. But I can't find her if I'm dead."

"Trust you? TRUST YOU? You've failed, Jake. You have failed at everything. YOU ARE OF NO USE to me. I'm here to take care of you myself. I don't enjoy killing. That's not who I am, but I _am _going to enjoy this."

Rowan attaches the silencer to his weapon and shoots Jake in the face. His brains splatter all over the van. No one flinches.

"Charlie, clean up this mess."

"Yes, boss." Charlie replies, dutifully.

"Ben, drive me out of here."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Fitz sits at his desk furiously signing document upon document when Andrew enters the Oval unannounced.

"Mr. President..."

Without even acknowledging Andrew, Fitz continues signing as he grits his teeth (an action that perfectly defines his jawline).

"Must I remind you what's at stake here, Mr. President?"

"I DON'T need a reminder. I'm holding a press conference. Tomorrow."

"Tonight."

"Excuse me?"

"Tonight. 9 p.m."

Fitz still has not looked up to acknowledge Andrew's presence in the Oval. He continues to sign document after document, even more furiously than before; piling them up in a disorderly fashion.

"I CAN'T JUST...we're still discussing military options."

"You're standing on that podium tonight and you're either declaring war against West Angola or you're resigning from this Office. Only two choices, _Mr. President."_

The mocking tone with which Andrew spoke his title did not go unnoticed by Fitz. Fitz places his pen down on the stack of papers on the desk and with anger in his eyes he looks at Andrew.

"Why are you doing this? ...Never mind, I don't think I'd understand any reason you'd give. ...What happened to you? To us?" Speaking more to himself now, he asks... "What is it with all the "friends" in my life? You're all the same...Maybe it's me. _Humph_, Olivia tried to warn me about you. I obviously trust all the wrong people. Betrayal always comes at a price, Andrew."

Andrew has no response. He just stands there, a touch of regret in his demeanor. But the feeling vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"9 P.M. Mr. President," is all Andrew had to say as he left the Oval Office.

Fitz hangs his head, sighs, and trembles as he peruses the room. Without another moment of hesitation he puts on his jacket and walks out of the office, the pile of documents threatening to slip at any moment. He walks through the corridor like a soulless man. All 57 employees of the male persuasion greet him with, "Mr. President", but to Fitz they may as well be bolts of lightning. Everything and everyone around him is moving so fast and he seems to be the only one stuck in the same place. When he finally arrives to where he wants to be, everything stops. His closet. He finds himself in the closet of his bedroom, staring into the mirror. The creature standing before him is a shell of the man he wants to be... An honorable man, no lies, no games, no pretending. Standing in front of his tie collection he wonders, which tie is it exactly that screams _failure as a husband, a father, a man, and a president? _Tucked in one of the cubicles he sees and carefully picks out his Navy sweatshirt. He holds it to his face and plummets to the ottoman. The months of pain, years of lies, a lifetime of pretending catches up with him and he sobs. He sobs into the sweatshirt; a celestial sound seeping through, not quite human, freakishly terrifying and excruciatingly gut wrenching.

/

_5 years ago. Camp David. Pre-State of the Union Address._

Fitz and Olivia are enjoying their walk in the great outdoors. She's in her running clothes, he in his Navy sweatshirt and track pants. They aren't running though, ...Fitz hates running. They're at Camp David though, so he doesn't need to pretend like he likes running. Tom and Hal are somewhere close, furtively watching them through the corner of their eyes. It's not cold, it's not chilly; it's breezy, the sun hidden by the whispy cirrus clouds. No cherry blossoms yet but the buds are bursting to bloom.

"I know that's the platform you ran on but it's not all about what YOU want, Fitz. Being President means that you have to think about everyone, prioritize, greater good...blah blah blah..."

"Oh, and you're such an expert on being President, huh?"

"More than you, Sir. I took a whole course on it. My life, 10,000 hours and counting."

Fitz chuckles at her comment and unconsciously takes her hand, "What am I to do with you Miss Pope?"

Olivia disentangles her hand from his and furtively glances around their surroundings.

"Don't do that here." She says.

"Why not? There is no one here but us."

Olivia continues to look beyond the trees.

Fitz continues, "You mean Tom and Hal? They get paid to be present but not be here. Don't fight me here, Liv. Not here. Do you know how many times I see you in hallways, or in some room with some person of whom I always wind up being jealous...and all I want to do is this..."

He kisses her so passionately, she is left breathless. He can clearly see the effect he has on her which immediately puts a proud little smirk on his face. In an attempt to regain composure, Olivia declares, "Fitz, we need to be productive."

"I thought we were being productive." He leans in to kiss her again but she manages to dodge him this time.

Half laughing, "I'm being serious here...let's talk about what being President means to you. A State of the Union address is not about the economy, how many wars we are in or will be in. It's about assuring the American public that they've elected a trustworthy leader, decisive, strong; someone who'll protect them. It's about... well, it's about showing them your heart."

"Then I just need to show them you."

Olivia smiles but she stops him with a gentle tug on the arm. The look in her eyes lets him know that she's not going to let this one go.

"You know what being President means to me, Liv. I want to help people. That's why I ran. I don't want to be my father, disgracing the Office with dirty politics or Machiavellian maneuvers. That's not who I am or who I want to be. I want to bring integrity back to the Office. Work across the aisle. Cater to all constituents. Do better. To me, being President means people first. All the people, even the ones who didn't elect me."

In a gesture of realization, Liv raises her hands and says, "There's your speech."

"Ha! This is why I need you. You can't ever leave me, Livvie. What if I'm faced with an impossible situation and you're not there? How will I ever make the right decision? _Without your constant nagging and proding? _You're the only person who knows me. Who truly sees me."

"I'm not ever going to leave your side. I'll always be with you, whether I'm physically here with you or not. But you have the strength inside of you to break through whatever you're faced with. I've seen it. In the way you were with your father..., with Mellie! Of course it's going to be up and down, that's life. But you're the President. You make a bad decision? Tough! The clock turns, life goes on, Mr. President."

"Now you're just teasing me. You know I like it when you call me that."

"I **do** know that, _Mr. President_." This time she kisses him, curl-erecting deep. Tom, always the model of decency signals Hal to look away.

"Take off your sweatshirt."

"What?"

"Don't ask questions, just take it off."

Fitz obliges. Olivia lays it on the ground. She begins to recklessly undress which pleasantly surprises Fitz. Already half naked, she lies on top to the sweatshirt.

"Make love to me, Fitz. Right here, right now. I'm done fighting you. Not here. Never here. Whatever happens, I want you to remember this moment and know that my heart will always belong to you and I will always be with you."

Fitz tumbles down to his knees almost in prayer at his incredible fortune. He unbuttons her jeans and slides them off with ease...practice makes perfect. He caresses her thighs. His mouth finds hers. She greets his mouth with her tongue and he welcomes her's with his own tongue. While her insides throb at the sensation of his hard erection pressed against her, their tongues swirl to their infamous dance. After a few moments their noses graze. He smiles. She smiles.

"Whatever happens?" Fitz questions.

"Whatever happens!" She declares.

Olivia nibbles on his trembling underlip engendering a delightful grunt out of him. Her petite hand unabashedly finds its way inside his track pants, eliciting even more grunts with her skillful, rhythmic motions. She glides her other hand to his behind and sensually removes his pants. With a firm hold on the cobra, Olivia directs it into her, giving Fitz free reign to foray. From pure pleasure and delirium, she digs her nails into his chiseled back while nibbling on his ear. She glides her hands down to his buttocks, pulling him closer to her, encouraging him to push even harder, ...much much harder.

"Fitz...Fitz...Fitz...Fitz..." The sweet susurrations of a Gone-girl.

/

Fitz continues to weep with his head down, buried in his Navy sweatshirt. He weeps for all the times that he could not, and for all the times he will not be able to. For Olivia. For Gerry. For his country. For himself.

A hand touches his shoulder, "Fitz." He looks up, tears clouding his eyes,

"Livvie?" A tear drops and he realizes it is not his Livvie. It is Mellie. Staring down at him with _one_ of the most pained look he has ever seen on her face in all of their 20 something years of marriage.

/

_Press Room_

"Is the President declaring war on West Angola?" The reporter asked.

"The President will address that himself, tonight." Abby answered.

"What's the hold up?"

"There is no hold up, Terry. There are strategic considerations."

"Is the President going to address the riots in Missouri?"

"Thank you, that's all the time we have."

/

_Oval Office_

Standing with Abby, looking at Huck and Quinn, Fitz asks,

"You both know why I had Abby bring you here?"

"Yes, Sir. We are aware."

"We need all hands on deck. Frankly, I don't know who to trust anymore but Olivia calls you her people. We need to find her and we don't have a lot of time."

"We already have a couple of leads, Sir." Huck stated.

"Good, I want no expense spared. Whatever you need."

"Mr. President, I..."

"It's okay, Abby. I already have Cyrus and Ethan covering for you. Go with them. Olivia needs all of us."

Abby smiles in gratitude at his foresight.

On their way out of the office, they encounter David Rosen in the doorway. David and Abby eye each other awkwardly. Fitz walks towards David with his hand outstretched, "Thank you for coming Rosen! You and I have a lot to discuss."

Door closes.

/

_Olivia Pope & Associates, offices_

As the trio enter the offices, Abby takes in her surroundings and is filled with sorrow.

"I haven't been here since Olivia...since Harrison... What happened to us? We used to take care of each other. We used to show up. Now, we're pretending like we have choices. We don't get to do that. We don't get to run. But that's what we've all been doing. Look where we are; where Olivia is! Where is she?! None of this would have happened if we'd been Gladiators. Over a cliff. Do we even know what that means anymore? Liv left, Harrison died, and we stopped. I stopped. We were selfish, we didn't show up for each other. I didn't show up." Looking directly at Huck and Quinn, "I'm sorry. It was on me. I should have investigated Harrison's death. Huck, so should you have. We fell down on the job. What happened to us? We used to be Gladiators. Now, we're..."

"Bitches? That's what you were going to say, right? Quinn asked. "I don't think so, Abby. We're people. With real issues. There is no shame in taking care of ones self. That's what we were all doing. We weren't Olivia's little army..."

As Huck throws Quinn a wicked look, "We owe Olivia our lives. She saved us. All of us. Now it's our turn to save her. She needs us."

"You're right." Abby agrees. "Olivia needs all of us. But we also need each other. We're the only family we have. We can't just throw that away. Olivia loves us. She'd never hold moving-on against any of us. But she's broken. She has been since "Daddy" showed up."

"Are you saying you're coming back?" Quinn asks.

"No, I can't abandon the President. He chose me. We're way past me coming back. I'm saying we should call more. We should...hang out or whatever. We're family. Family doesn't abandon. I'm just sad it took something so tragic for me to realize that."

Huck and Quinn exchange a knowing look between them.

"We all had our issues but we can't dwell on that. The President said we don't have much time. We need to find her."

"Agreed." Both women.

Huck and Quinn show Abby what they have thus far.

/

_7 P.M., Oval Office_

The only calm in the eye of the storm that is Fitz's life, is the scheduled play time with Teddy.

Cyrus peeks through the door, uncertain and apprehensive about whether or not he should confront Fitz at this moment. He vacillates between walking away and entering. His mind made up, he walks through the door.

"Mr. President..."

With annoyance, "Not right now, Cyrus."

"Mr. President, Sir, you can not go up to that podium and declare war on West Angola. This is insane."

"You know what is insane, Cyrus? My own party blackmailing me. Vermont getting further and further away. Me here in this place. Olivia gone, again. A lot of things are insane, Cy. Still, time doesn't stop. It never stops."

"Sir, ...please..."

"I don't need your speeches about how I'm ticking or how I'm failing my country, Cy. I am aware. I am fully aware. My mind is made up."

"But..."

"That will be all, Cyrus. ...and Cyrus? Thank you. Thank you for everything."

Cyrus can't believe that this is what everything has led to. Defiance, all the back-alley brawling, the nitty-gritty morally bankrupt stuff. James dying. Having to marry a whore. Everything to be undone for the love of a woman. He thinks he understands. He doesn't want to understand. The moral bankruptcy was always meant to remain in the shadows; for the greatest good. He hangs his head in defeat, succumbing to the fact that the ends have to justify the means, at least in this case. She was his girl too.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_8:55 P.M. Press Conference Room_

Fitz walks gravely to the podium with speech in hand as Abby and Cyrus watch from the side, both are ill at ease with the words that their President is about to utter. They had both seen the speech and really, it was nothing out of the ordinary for a declarative speech. What truly pierced their hearts was the reason behind the declaration. Fitz opens the leather binder and begins.

"Tonight I stand before you a heartbroken man. The life of my Vice President was threatened right here on American soil. Thankfully he did not suffer any fatal injuries. Whenever we can find diplomatic solutions, it is always our preferred method of handling such issues. But America **does** **not** and **will not** negotiate with terrorists. We need to show these radicals that America will not tolerate violence and blackmail in the name of country. So, tonight I stand before you declaring..."

At this precise moment Abby receives a phone call, she nods to Fitz, and a moment of silence ensues. Not even a breath can be heard in the room at this moment. Fitz continues in a more languid manner.

"...So, tonight, I stand before you declaring..." Fitz swiftly closes the leather binder and boldly looks out at the press crops, "The truth is I am supposed to either declare war on West Angola or resign the Office of the President of the United States at this moment. That's what I'm supposed to do, because the people who do not agree with the way that I am running this country tell me that is what I need to say. I am not going to do that."

At once the room is filled with questions being shouted from reporters scrambling to have their question answered. Abby and Cyrus are in shock, pleased but unsure of what is to come next. Mellie, watching on a television somewhere in the White House, smiles surreptitiously. From her home, Andrew and Lizzie are aghast, as they watch the broadcast.

/

_Earlier that same day. Residence, closet._

_A hand touches his shoulder, "Fitz." He looks up, tears clouding his eyes, _

"_Livvie?" A tear drops and he realizes it is not his Livvie. It is Mellie. Staring down at him with one of the most pained looks he has ever seen on her face in all of their 20 something years of marriage._

Almost tenderly, "Fitz? It's the middle of the afternoon, what are you doing here?"

Quickly composing himself, Fitz goes back to his tie collection.

"Nothing, just picking out a tie for tonight's press conference."

"Really? ... Are you going to declare war on West Angola?"

"I can't discuss that with you. You know that."

"You would if I were Olivia Pope."

With exasperation, "Mellie... I really don't want to fight with you, especially right now."

Silence. _Concentrating_ on his ties he can not see the inner turmoil with which Mellie struggles. She is making tough decisions and it's tearing away at her very core.

"Don't do it." She states.

"What?"

"Don't invade West Angola. We both know that attack was staged."

"How did you...?"

"Andrew. _hmph... _he wants me by his side you know. I thought about it. For all of five seconds. He wants me by his side, Fitz. By his SIDE. Like I'm some kind of pet. He says it'll be different with him. We'll be a team. Run the country together. Big kids table. But he's just like you, honey. He will never love _just me_."

A little offended and not quite comprehending what is going on, Fitz turns to Mellie.

"Why are you telling me all this, Mellie? It'd be so easy for you to destroy me. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Laughing hysterically, "What _I've_ always wanted? Really..., Honey? No, what I've always wanted is... (_shaking her head and wiping the imaginary slate in front of her, Mellie style) ..._it doesn't matter what I've always wanted. I think I gave up on what I thought I had always wanted, this morning. I want something else now."

Agitated, Fitz begins to feel suffocated. He just wants to escape, be somewhere, anywhere but here... with her.

"Mellie, either say what you mean or..."

"You know what she'd say to you? Olivia Pope? That you have to put the country first. (_she scoffs) _Olivia and I are the same in a lot of ways, you know. It's a shame you never saw that. Yes, I'm colder, and a villainous bitch, and a political monster... _la de dah_... While Saint Olivia is always trying to prance around in her white hat that gets blown off every time she tries to stay away from you."

"What are you saying, Mellie?"

"I'm saying, I want to be the next President of the United States of America. I'm saying, I am tired, Fitz. You win. You would sacrifice an entire nation for that woman, _(laughing) _who left you when you needed a shoulder to cry on. That was my shoulder, _Honey_. Even though I'm sure you'd like to pretend it was hers. Fine. I'm done. You, my idiotic, idealistic husband will always choose love over power. I used to think that was a weakness. In a lot of ways it is. _(tearfully)_ Gerry dying... losing a child? It changes you. Perspective, life goals, everything hits you. And I will be damned if that bitch Elizabeth North or any of her right-wing crazy gun people, as you call them, get to run this country. They're not right. They shouldn't be in power. Because that's all it will ever be about with them. POWER. And more power. They know your weakness now. They'll never stop exploiting it. I was a young lawyer once, with ambitions and aspirations for what this nation could be, what it can be. I need to find that girl, she's buried somewhere inside of this cold shell. ... I'm saying, I can't do that if I'm constantly _fiiiiiiighting_ a war I know I'll never win. So go, go find Olivia. But don't declare war on West Angola. She wouldn't want that. You don't want that either."

Coldly. "What do you suggest I do, Mellie? Let them kill her? I almost di... Did Andrew tell you where she is? Why he is doing this?"

Laughing hysterically again, "That's always been your problem, _Fiiitz_! You don't see the evil in other people because you just can not conceive it. You're not built for the dirty political games, the body-burying, dancing on graves."

"_ha..., _That's just another way of calling me an idiot."

"Perhaps. ... (_with a smirk_) But I'm the only one who should have the specific honor of inflicting misery on you and Olivia Pope. God, I loathe that woman. But I need her to stay alive. At least until your Presidency is over."

"You've never been one to mince words, Mel."

"I am sooo done pretending. At least with you. The three of us, we can help each other. Invade West Angola, don't invade West Angola, I'm telling you if you find her, things will be different this time. I need for things to be different this time." She walks to the collection of ties; selects one. "Wear this one. It's strong, Presidential. Patriotic."

She glances towards him one last time before leaving the closet. Fitz stares in the direction of her departure, unsure of what just happened. Was he to believe everything his lying, manipulative wife had just told him? She IS the mother of his children. She had seemed so sincere when she mentioned Gerry's name. His head is spinning. Everything he thought he knew has just gone out the window.

/

_At the podium, Fitz continues..._.

I am not going to stand here and lie to the people who elected me. I can not permit terrorism to occur in my own backyard, whether the perpetrators are foreign or domestic. Terrorism is terrorism. Last night, Vice President Andrew Nichols told me that he had kidnapped, and threatened to hurt my most trusted advisor, Miss Olivia Pope, if I did not declare war on West Angola. Too many lies have been told. Too many lives have been sacrificed in the name of country and President. It is time to put an end to this corruption. It is time for a more transparent government, the American public deserves this. So, with the help of Attorney General Rosen, Vice President Andrew Nichols and all those involved in this plot are being apprehended as we speak. They will be charged with and tried for kidnapping and treason... to start."

_Visualize camera photo shots of Rosen/Fitz in the Oval office discussion, & Rosen/FBI invading Lizzie's home cuffing her and Andrew._

"To the people who have Miss Pope, we know who you are and we know where you are. We have men surrounding you. If you touch one hair on her head, you will be eliminated."

The room explodes with reporter's questions.

"Mr. President, why did they kidnap Miss Pope?"

"Mr. President, why did they think you'd risk going to war if they took Miss Pope?"

"Mr. President, would you have gone to war?"

"Mr. President..." "Mr. President..." "Mr. President..."

"That's all the time I have. Thank you." Hastily leaving the podium, he motions for Cyrus to take over as Fitz and Abby rush off to, God knows where.

/

_8 P.M. Olivia is still tied up, looking more distraught than ever. The menacing man glances down at his watch. His phone rings and he goes into the other room before answering. Olivia can't hear what he's saying. She starts to fidget again, attempting to free her hands, but to no avail. She grazes the ring on her index finger. She stops moving. More tears begin to fall as memories flood ..._

_/_

_5 years ago. DC hotel room. After having visited the National Archives_

He kisses her shoulders as Fitz snuggles as close as he can get to Olivia's back.

"We shouldn't have come here. It's too risky."

Fitz continues to kiss her shoulder, sensually moving his mouth to her back. His warm tongue touches her skin, she shudders and nuzzles closer to him. He ignores her protests about the risks and he declares, "I think I have loved you for ever."

Smiling, Olivia turns to face him. With her thumb on his chin, she chides, "Don't be silly. No one knows what forever is."

He stares into her eyes with all the love that a forever can hold.

"Then all of _my_ life. I have loved you my whole life and I wanted to tell you from that first moment I saw you. Telling me things no one ever dared, not even Cyrus." He grazes his nose with hers and speaking in his deep baritone, "Be honest, you knew it, didn't you? You ripped open my soul and you knew? That I love you. Didn't you?"

Olivia has no words. Her heart is beyond overwhelmed. Her chin quivers, as she tries to hold back the feelings of understanding just how Fitz feels. She reaches out and holds his cheek and gently kisses him. He deepens the kiss. She digs her hands into his curls and slides her leg between his. But before they're both too heated to stop, Fitz halts the kiss and reaches down to his jacket that has been carelessly thrown to the floor.

"I have something for you. The truth is I've had it for a while now but I just couldn't find the right time to give it to you." Teasingly, "_Now that I know you love me, can't live without me, can't breathe without me, wait for me, watch for me, are in this with me..._"

With equal amusement in her voice, "_Shut up_... What did you get me?"

"It's a ring." Seeing the expression on her face, "Not that kind of ring! I was thinking about what you said and did at Camp David the last time we were there." He winks, she blushes. "We don't know what curveballs life is going to throw at us. I want you to have this so you too know that my heart can never belong to anyone else. It never has. I will always be with you. Don't think I don't feel you doubting this, _us_... I just want it to be clear to you that I'm not ever going to let you go or give up hope that one day I'll be able to hold your hand whenever I want to. I will always find you Olivia. Because I know you. I know the life you want. And it's with me. I know that things are difficult right now but as long as we're together, we'll be okay. Don't leave me, Livvie."

She bats her eyes and takes the ring from him. Inside the ring are the inscribed words: Love is all that matters. She places the ring back in the box and kisses him again. This time there is no stopping. Neither one wants to.

/

_Somewhere in Olivia's memory._

_Vermont. Mid night._

Beside the fireplace, Olivia is on top of Fitz. Their moans and grunts culminating into a tandem climax of passions. Olivia collapses to the floor beside him, pure pleasure written all over her face. Fitz kisses her forehead as she snuggles into him. She looks up at him,

"Hi."

"Hi." He replies as he looks down at her.

She kisses his bare chest and snuggles even deeper into him, their legs intertwined. Olivia strokes his leg with her foot while he caresses her arm.

"This is not where I imagined my day would have ended."

"Is that a complaint?"

"You're being silly again. I just can't believe you built this house. How? When did you do all this?"

"I think I've been building this house forever." Olivia side eyes Fitz. "Okay, since _your marriage._ Literally? When I almost died. When your life flashes before you , you see everything so clearly. I saw you trying to make jam by those marble countertops and failing miserably. Our kids running around causing mayhem. Us taking long walks through that 30-acre orchard and getting lost in there." Olivia smiles as she listens to him. She extends warm tiny kisses on his chest. Fitz continues, "Watching that amazing skyline together after putting our kids to bed. I saw our whole lives passing by and I knew, I just knew that if I didn't take the necessary steps, if I didn't build this house, everything would vanish. And I just couldn't let that happen."

"I think I've always been weary of dreaming..."

"I know." Fitz shifts slightly. "We need to talk about that."

Olivia tries to change the subject. She slides her hand underneath the sheet.

"Mmmm... it looks like something else is talking right now."

Fitz slides his hands under the sheet and grabs hold of her hands. They stare at each other in a sort of stalemate. She insists on stroking, he attempting to stop her, even though his body is tingling to let her get away with it.

"Olivia, stop."

"Why?"

"This is more important to me. So much has happened. So much I feel guilty about. But I'm not a monster. I'm only a man. A man who make mistakes. Don't I deserve some peaceful love? I have told you so many times how much you mean to me. What happens to you, Livvie?"

Olivia hesitates.

"We separated because we love each other too much. Because I love you too much. I can never let you sacrifice for me."

"I don't think that's entirely true. I think it's that you didn't trust me or my love. You're afraid. You've always been afraid that I'd stop loving you."

"Should I be? Scared. That you'll stop loving me?"

"The fact that you'd even ask... I couldn't stop if I tried. And I've tried!"

"Thanks!"

"What else am I supposed to do? You just won't let me love you sometimes."

A moment of silence passes.

"The truth is, I HAVE always been very scared of losing you. When you almost died...I...I am scared. Everything that has happened to you, Defiance, my father...it's all my fault. Loving you is terrifying. That terror doesn't go away."

Fitz lifts her up and grabs her by the arms.

"I want you to listen to me. I wouldn't change anything that's happened if it meant not ever knowing you. The clock turns, life goes on...isn't that what you once told me? We can't keep running from the truth. We're not going to wake up one day and have everything be the way we want it to be. It's on us. It's always on us. If we don't start taking control of our lives, it'll destroy us. We can not let these circumstances ruin us. Are you listening to me, Olivia?"

With gentle laughter through tears, Olivia replies, "Yes...okay."

"No more lying to each other. About anything but especially about how we feel...our emotions."

"Alright...okay."

"I love you, Olivia Carolyn Pope. Don't you ever forget that. You need to stop fighting it."

All she can do is kiss him, in order to show him just how much he means to her. On their knees now, they kiss passionately. Fitz lifts her up and drives her to the wall. For the 7th, maybe 8th or 9th time that night they make deep passionate love.

/

_Olivia's reality_

The menacing man comes back in to the room where she is being held captive. He callously removes the white cloth from her mouth again.

"Looks like I was right sweetheart. Your...what is he to you?...is speaking in 2 minutes. We both know he's going to declare war on West Angola."

"What?!" Olivia asks.

"That's right. You must be very important to him. If all goes as planned, you'll be free."

"You're never going to let me go."

He laughs maniacally, tormenting her. She knows that they have Fitz exactly where they want him. A deep sadness settles in.

"Hey, I'm kind of thirsty, do you think I could have some of that wine?"

"No."

"Please? I'll be good."

Uncertain if he should oblige, "...fine, but no funny tricks!"

He grabs the wine glass on the table and places it to her mouth. Olivia pretends to drink. As soon as he removes the glass from her mouth, she aims for his eyes. Perfect hit! He is blinded. Yelling, he launches for her chair. But Olivia Pope has released herself. All that fidgeting and wriggling had paid off though her hands are bloody. The man trips and hits his head on a pillar close by. He tumbles to the floor with a heavy thud. Instead of immediately running for the exit she goes to him and flips him over. Blood is trickling down the side of his face. Olivia elbows him but nothing.

"Are you dead? Are you dead?"

She scans the room in a frenzied state. Upon seeing what looks like car keys on a large table, she rapidly removes the loose rope from her hands, grabs the keys and runs for the door. Unfortunately, she is met by an even more menacing looking man. He ruthlessly clutches her hair and throws her to the ground.

"And where do you think you're going?!" He is irate. He drags Olivia to where the other man lies dead, blood dripping all over the floor. He nudges him with his leg several times then presses two fingers against his neck, no pulse. He freaks.

"You little bitch. Did you kill him? FUCK! You killed him. You fucking killed him! Fuck Fuck. I did not sign up for this. Shit...shit...shit...!

Beads of sweat are visibly noticeable on his forehead. He vigorously chafes his head, takes out his gun and points it at Olivia. He takes out his phone and seems disappointed that no one has called.

"Sit!" He directs her to the couch and turns on the television. Kimberly Mitchell appears to be wrapping up a special on James and Lisa Elliot.

"_While they say they'll remain the best of friends, James and Lisa Elliot have declared that their marriage is over. They have received support for their decision from all blocks. 'Life is too short to spend it fighting,' they say. That's all from me, i'm Kimberly Mitchell. Stay tuned to our broadcast as we review President Fitzgerald Grant's earlier address that left the nation in shock. His words have left many questions unanswered and many people uncertain as to the stability of this nation."_

The television picture switches to President Grant standing at the podium. Olivia takes a sharp breath. Through her mind a mesh of _god, he is sexy; Is he really going to declare war for me; _and _why are these fuckers doing this to my bae, he looks so miserable._

President Grant begins, "Tonight I stand before you a heartbroken man..." The next few minutes are a web of mixed emotions. Fear, sadness, pride, confusion, anger, and acceptance. "We know who you are, we know where you are..." No sooner had they started watching then the television is off again. Olivia's captor really begins to panic now. Pacing back and forth, he gawks at his phone again willing it to ring. Nothing. What should he do?

"Dammit! Looks like you and me are going to take a little ride Miss Pope. If they want you alive, they're gonna have to give me some kind of deal. GET UP!"

He grips her by the arm and forces her to walk with him. Olivia screams in protest and violently thrashes about. They struggle until the man can't take anymore. He throws her to the ground and points the gun at her.

"I didn't want to have to do this..." Surrendering to her fate, Olivia closes her eyes. She flinches.

_BANG. BANG. BANG_. A moment passes. She opens her eyes and is surprised to note that she hasn't been shot. She is fully intact. But the menacing man is down. She doesn't understand what has happened. She scrambles to where he is lying face down. Not wanting to touch him, she just stands there, paralyzed and crying, her bloody hands marring her face. She is unaware that a sniper across the street is the shooter of the menacing man now lying dead at her feet. Moments pass, Olivia is on her knees like a wounded animal, with two dead bodies now in the room. Suddenly, the door swings and in the opening is Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. He sees her there on the floor, dejected. His eyes begin to water, he runs to her.

"Livvie...Liv...hey...hey...look at me...look at me...you're alright...it's okay...it's okay...everything is going to be alright. I've got you. I've got you. Come here." He cradles her in his arms until she's not numb anymore. She looks into his eyes and immediately scolds,

"What did you do?"

"I started living, Livvie." She can't help but smile at his brazenness.

"I'm sorry... For running. I'm sorry I've made you wait."

"Don't EVER do it again."

At that moment Huck, Quinn, and Abby show up. They're standing by the doorway smiling with relief. Olivia fixes her eyes on them. She doesn't need to say anything to any of them. They know how grateful she is to them. She knows that they moved heaven and earth to find her. She looks at Fitz again and takes hold of his face with her bloody hands.

"NEVER again, my love." Looking back at her Gladiators once more. "We're all in this together. There's no looking back."

Olivia kisses Fitz. What a sight the smiling Gladiators behold; two dead bodies, and the moon shining light on the President of the United States of America on his knees kissing their boss as if life began and ended with her.

**Publisher Note: This is the final chapter of this story. It was RedHot Scandal's intention that this 'story' be read/seen as if it were an actual episode of Scandal (no copyright infringement intended, just fun). This concludes ****The Clock Turns****.**

**Look for RedHot Scandal2.0 on Twitter **** scandal_redhot**


	5. Chapter 5

Epilogue

_Olivia's apartment. _

Fitz and Abby stand in the living room and stare anxiously down the corridor. Abby looks at the President of the United States and suddenly feels a little uncomfortable being there with him. She sees the concern in his eyes, traces of dried blood and tears on his cheeks... ThE President gradually slips away and is replaced by a restless man; a man deeply in love with her friend, a man who had moved heaven and earth to make sure that he was there when they had found her. Abby's eyes water at the mere thought, but she quickly shakes it off with a resolute declaration that she hopes will ease his mind.

"I'll stay with her tonight."

"No. You won't." As he continues to be distracted, his eyes fixated towards the hallway. Where was she? She should have come out of the bathroom by now. He had been preparing to take a step towards the corridor when Abby had spoken. He looks at her with determination.

"With all due respect, Sir, she can't stay alone tonight." Fitz nods and lifts up an eyebrow, almost in annoyance that he has to spell it out for her. It doesn't take too long for Abby to catch on, the look on Fitz's face says it all. "Oh, oh,... Ohhhhhh." She blushes, looks down and smiles slyly. The corners of his mouth lift up signifying mutual understanding. Abby grabs her purse and coat and turns to leave. "I'll handle everything, Sir." He tilts his head in appreciation. Fitz thanks her with another awkward pat to the shoulder. Still smiling, Abby heads for the door.

Fitz decides to give Olivia some space. A few minutes pass and his resolve crumbles. He strides towards the bathroom and thankfully encounters Olivia in the hallway. She's still in her bloody pajamas but her face looks clean. She manages a weak smile when she sees him.

"You had me worried."

"I'm fine."

He takes her hand and clutches it to his chest.

"You just went through a gruesome 24 hours, you inadvertently killed a man and your name is on every news channel on a loop. You are not fine. Can you feel that? That's my heart beating out of my chest. The thought of losing you, again! **I **am not fine."

She looks up into his eyes and parts her lips. He can tell there is so much she wants to tell him but the words never manifest.

"Where's Abby?"

"She left."

Olivia sighs heavily and extricates her hand from his. She leans against the wall. A moment passes in silence; Fitz, pain-stricken and staring at her, Olivia looking down at her bare feet. When she finally looks up, her eyes are swimming in pools of tears.

"Are you going to leave me too?"

"Do you want me to leave? Secret Service is here so you'll be protected."

"No! ... For the first time in my life I am really scared. I am scared of everything. I don't recognize what this feeling is but you here with me... I feel safe. Will you stay with me? Just for a little while?"

Closing the gap between them, he traces an imaginary line down her chin, "I am not leaving you, Livvie. I am staying with you... The whole night." As soon as he utters the words, Olivia begins to blink frantically.

"No, are you insane? You can't stay here the whole night. You made such a mess of things, Fitz! Reporters will be swarming this building; they're going to want answers. You can't..."

He desperately wants to quiet her with a kiss but he's not sure it's the right thing to do. Instead he gently reassures,

"Don't worry, Liv. Abby is taking care of everything. You're not my fixer anymore! I need you to rest and dream pretty thoughts, okay? It's been a long day."

Olivia calms down, albeit apprehension still stamped in her eyes. As if truly seeing him for the first time that night, she rubs his cheeks with her thumb.

"You have blood all over your face."

With a slight chuckle, "I don't care."

She reaches for the inside of his jacket pocket and takes out his handkerchief. She wets it with her tongue then commences to dab the blood away. With his one hand against the wall, Olivia leans further into it because she can feel herself slipping into him. As she continues to dab and he continues to gaze at her with those longing eyes, she can feel his effect on her in her very core. She attempts to regain her composure.

"It has been a long day for you too. I can't send you back to the White House looking like this. You should take a shower and I'll just pop your shirt into the washer."

Fitz pulls his head back in amusement.

"The washer?"

She laughs. "Yes. I'm quite normal you know. I don't have a dozen housekeeping staff at my beck and call like you, Mr. President."

He lowers his voice, "I have a dozen? I only know Edie. You know what happens in my House more than I do, Miss Pope."

He leans into her but something impedes him from kissing her. Her lips are ready for him but she doesn't kiss him either. This new dynamic between them is weird. It had always been easy to be intimate before no matter what had occurred. In the frenzy of the rescue they had kissed. Why was it so difficult to engage in this moment? Was he waiting for her? Was she waiting for him? Everything felt different this time. As if that kiss would seal their fate forever. No looking back? Their lips are inches away from each other and yet nothing happens. To escape his torturous stance, Olivia begins to unbutton his shirt.

"Here, let me help you." She sensually slides off the jacket and then his unbuttoned shirt. Her hands on his shoulders, she stifles a gasp at the sight of his chiseled frame.

"I know where to find the shower." He winks.

"You do." She blushes.

An awkward moment passes between them. Olivia glides her hands to the scar on his chest and moves in as if to kiss him. He tilts his head down as if going in for the kiss. Still nothing happens. What was this air between them? They break contact at the same time and clumsily go their separate ways, silently cursing and shaking their heads.

Fitz jumps into the shower and he allows the water to run down his body. He whispers to himself, "Why didn't I kiss her?"

In the living room, Olivia has popped open a bottle of wine. She pours herself a glass and gulps down a large portion. She berates herself, "Why didn't I kiss him?" She paces back and forth several times. She gulps down the rest of the wine, sets it down and resolutely marches towards the bathroom.

Fitz hasn't really made an effort to scrub away the rest of the blood stains. He's just standing there letting the water run down his body, lamenting that he was such a coward for not making a move. Perhaps it was the fear of rejection. He'd laid his heart out on the line so many times. It's not that he didn't know Olivia loved him. It's that he was never sure at what moment she was going to run away from that love. He would always wait for her. But maybe... maybe he was tired of always going to her. She had to...

His thoughts are interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turns around to find Olivia standing in the shower with him, wet and fully-clothed. Before he can begin to process what is happening, she lunges for his mouth, his top lip engulfed by her luscious ones. Fitz responds with the same ferocity. He grabs a chunk of her wet hair to deepen the kiss even further. Their tongues connect and Fitz sucks on hers as though he were trying to haul out drops of that fine wine. Olivia moans as they kiss under the strong waters. Just when it seems the kissing will never cease, Fitz gently takes off her tank top. He pours soap on a sponge to wash the horror of the day off of her body. The soap trickles down to her pajama pants reminding Fitz there is more work to be done. He crouches down and slowly, deliberately removes her pajama pants followed by her lacy underwear. He swallows hard at the sight of her. The restraint he exercises... to not just allow his fingers to roam to her center! Olivia is either too stunned or too emotional to move. The events of the last 24 hours finally caught up to her. For the first time since it all happened she allows herself to be vulnerable. The sense of Fitz's hands on her body makes her tingle all over. What she really wants is for Fitz to make love to her. To make love to her as only he knew how. To take her to another universe as only he could. Fitz doesn't acquiesce. Was it because he couldn't read her thoughts anymore? He always knew exactly what she wanted. He opts instead to lodge warm kisses on her stomach and her breasts as he makes his way up. He is extremely tender with her, it almost shatters her soul. The next thirty minutes pass in silence, Olivia reciprocating his affection; washing his face and hair and proffering warm kisses on his back. Eternal kisses under the water and moments of just breathing together. Although, they do not make love in the conventional sense, they do so with their hearts and souls. They take care of each other.

/

Sitting on the edge of her bed, wrapped in nothing but a white towel, he watches her naked form as she rummages through her wardrobe. He desperately wants his hands on her voluptuous bottom and those free-flowing wet curls but he's more determined to move foreword in a "healthy" way. He wasn't exactly sure what this meant but that's what his mom always advised. She'd warned him about the perils of political marriages. She had let the love of her life slip away and it was her greatest regret in life. After he'd heard his father bang his secretary on his 10th birthday he'd promised himself that he would never let love run off. The twisted way life works; it had given him Mellie for the majority of his adulthood. In a way, Olivia honored his mother's memory.

"Found them." She announces cheerfully.

"What did you find?"

Olivia happily moves towards him. He loved it when she was just happy and carefree; when she shut out the world and her doubting thoughts.

"Don't laugh, but I bought these a long time ago. I didn't get them at an auction but..."

His curiosity is piqued. He seizes her around her waist and pulls her into his lap. She giggles as he plants a lingering kiss on her cheek.

"Show me."

Olivia reveals the matching bathrobes. Fitz chuckles because he knows exactly why she'd bought them.

"You looked so ridiculous last time in my bathrobe... I just thought..."

Nuzzling her neck, he whispers, "Who'd have ever thought Olivia Pope was so cheesy? I loved having to wear your robe last time. I smelled like you."

"And looked very uncomfortable." With some regret in her voice, "I just never thought it would take so long for us to get to this place. That's partly my fault."

"Partly?" He teases. She elbows him in the stomach and hops off his lap to put on her robe. Fitz feigns pain at the elbow jab; she merely shakes her head with a slight smile on her face and throws the other bathrobe at him. He rolls his eyes and puts it on. More seriously he inquires, "Am I sleeping in here tonight?" Olivia whips her hair around, befuddled. She rubs her nose and decides he's mocking her. She chooses to ignore him.

"Would you like some wine?"

He realizes that conversation was going to have to wait. He nods and watches as she leaves him, again. Fitz scans the room. Last time he was here he hadn't really seen much of it. He walks to the mirror and smiles at the sight of the perfectly-sized white bathrobe. At once he heads out of the bedroom as though deciding he had waited long enough for Olivia Pope. He doesn't find her in the living room. He can smell the aroma of popcorn wafting from the kitchen. Of course she'd be hungry. She'd probably refused any food those criminals had offered to her. He smiles again. He was smiling a lot since he'd found her. He walks over to the piano and strokes the keys. He sits down and begins to play a melody that sounds a lot like John Lennon's, _Imagine_. After a few notes the tune changes to Marvin Gaye's, _What's Going On?_.

Olivia saunters into the room with a bowl of popcorn, a bottle of wine, and two glasses in hand.

"Marvin?"

"Marvin!" Fitz continues to play.

"You play beautifully." She pours a glass for him. When she gets to where he is she sets the wine glass on the piano as her hand rubs his shoulder and she kisses the side of his neck. She sits next to him and harmonizes. They play together for a few moments singing, _"Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong. Oh, but who are they to judge us...oh, you know we've got to find a way to bring some understanding here today."_ It sounds as if they had been playing and singing together their whole lives. They beam at each other when they finally stop. Olivia solemnly states,

"You know you can't follow me everywhere I go."

"Yes, I can."

She turns to face him, clutching his hands.

"I know you worry about me. Especially now, but I am fine. As long as I have your love I'll be fine. You can't worry about me. You have the whole world to worry about."

Fitz decides this is the right time to air out their dirty laundry. He disentangles his hands from hers.

"Jake came to see me."

"Jake." She states derisively.

"Jake. He was looking for you. I told him to move on because you'll never be his. Was I wrong to tell him that? Even after everything that's happened today, ...the rescue, the shower... I'm trying not to assume anymore. That hasn't worked out so well for me in the past. Olivia, I can feel your love when you kiss me, when you embrace me, and when you make love to me. In my head and in my heart, I know. Or at least in my mind, I know that you can't possibly feel that way about anyone else. So, was I wrong? I need you to tell me what you want, Olivia. You know what you want. I need you to say it."

She clasps her hands to her face and considers her words.

"When I was tied up in that chair and that man told me what they were doing to you, I couldn't breathe. Remember what I told you in Vermont? That loving you is terrifying? The more I love you the more bad things happen to you. Bad things haven't stopped happening to you since I've entered your life.."

"Bad things have been happening to me all my life."

"No I need you to hear what I'm saying. You were right too. I am scared. I told you I was scared of everything now but what I'm most scared of is losing you. Now more than ever. I always thought our undoing would be you leaving me, but I never imagined I'd be the one to leave; much less involuntarily. Yes, I realize that's what I've been doing, running. I'm scared of this love; it swallows me up, it consumes me. And I feel guilty most times. Because I shouldn't feel this way for a married man, a man who belongs to the nation. But I do. And Jake, he made me forget that for a few seconds. I don't know, I guess he was my Forget-Me-Fitz. I would always feel terrible for using him that way, but Jake has always known where my heart lies. Always. He chose to stay anyway."

"Forget-Me-Fitz?" He chortles.

"See these veins?" She lifts up her hand to him, "You course through them, through every fiber of my being. You were all I thought about when I was in that chair, when I thought they were going to kill me. You were all I thought about. So you were not wrong, my love. Jake here with me right now, would be. It would be painful because you're always in my head, all the time. I am going to tell him that he and I, ...it could never be. I think he's always known that because all I want is you. All I've ever wanted is you. I want Vermont with you, but more than that, I just want you. I want a life with you and I don't want to wait anymore. I could die, I could literally die, you could die, we both almost did..what a waste. Don't you know how important you are to me? I would do anything for you?"

With great cheekiness, he demands,

"Would you stop that? Stop doing things FOR me and start doing things WITH me. Can you do THAT for me?!"

She smirks, "The irony." He smirks in response.

"Well? Can you?"

"Okay. I promise that I'll try."

He leans into her and holds her face in his hands.

"You do realize what you're saying, Liv?" She nods. "Life with me is not going to be easy. It'll never be easy or normal. But I can guarantee that it'll always be exciting." They both chuckle. "You will always feel loved, every minute of everyday." She nods again. "I will never leave you alone again, ever." Tears stream down both their faces as they grip each other's hands. "We can do this together, Livvie."

"We're in this together." She say through tears. "I am not just saying that. I feel this new bond between us. I never thought I could feel any closer to you but I do. My heart has always been with you but now I feel..I really feel every part of me is yours. I don't know how to describe it."

"I feel the same way, my love."

"I have been apologizing for loving you for too long. No more apologies. It's going to be difficult but I don't care anymore. Life is difficult. But without you, it's devastating."

"Excruciating."

"Suffocating."

"Heartbreaking."

"Impossible."

He doesn't allow her to speak anymore. He kisses her: this time without hesitation, with certified confidence. He pulls her up onto the piano keyboard. It emits an imperfectly perfect disharmonious sound, echoing the tune of their impending path. He unties her bathrobe and runs his hand up and down her body. He kisses her neck and Olivia whimpers with felicity because he can still clearly read her thoughts. Fitz mutters in his deep baritone,

"I'm not going to make love to you until you tell me what you want me to do to you. Tell me Olivia. Tell me what you want."

He continues to kiss her neck as he cups one of her breasts; squeezing it so hard Olivia shrieks. Fitz is unrelenting.

"What do you want, Olivia?"

"First, I want your wet tongue on my breasts."

Fitz doesn't waste any time. He quickly maneuvers his mouth from her neck to her breasts. As he continues to squeeze on one he commences the nipple suction on the other. He doesn't stop. He doesn't stop until he receives his next instruction.

"Now I want you to kiss my stomach, furnish my belly button with tongue lashes then move down. Don't rush."

Fitz is dutifully attentive. Thoroughly. Everything she describes, he expertly executes. But he wouldn't be Fitz if there weren't any improvising. He first tickles her belly button with his finger then allows his tongue to linger before his mouth covers it. His lips move down to her center and there it remains, bestowing it with soft kisses, awaiting her orders.

However, at this point Olivia can barely speak. All she manages to articulate is,

"Fitz..."

He decides that she's earned his prescience. He knows her body so well she doesn't have to say anything. He knows exactly what she wants next. He softly bites her clitoris, simultaneously delving two fingers into her. Olivia screams that familiar scream he cherishes. He licks her center as his fingers nimbly move in and out, her essences dripping all over his hands seeping to the piano keys below. His mouth maintains its circling motion while his fingers caress her inner thighs. This is Olivia's undoing. She yells,

"Now, Fitz. I want you now...please...please...now...now."

He lifts her up to the top of the piano as the wine glass tumbles to the floor. Splat. More wine stains permeate. This time though, they represent a new beginning. The stain that marks their new life together erasing all the other rancid splotches. He rapidly unties his bathrobe releasing his manhood from its confines. The presence of his hard erection pressed against her pelvis sends Olivia into a deep frenzy. She cannot wait any longer. It had been far too long. She wraps her legs around his torso and shamelessly begins to stroke him. His own fluid essence blends with hers on the piano keys. Unable to withstand the heat any longer, he powerfully slides into her. Olivia yells out again. She feels so taut but Fitz doesn't care. He accurately surmises that she wants all of him, as she always does. Thus he pumps into her with intensity. His thrusts grow deeper and deeper with each leg pull.

Tears roll down Olivia's face. Joyful tears. To have the love of her life back between her legs despite everything the world had thrown at them? That was a hell of a thing. It makes her whole body throb. She doesn't stop crying or pulling him closer.

"Don't stop, Fitz. Don't ever stop making love to me."

He doesn't stop. He licks her neck and her first climax erupts. The thrusting intensifies. He nibbles on her ear and can feel the frissons coursing through her body all the way down to his shaft. He places her nipple back into his mouth, which proves to be his own undoing. He empties himself into her and she onto him. Everything is so meshed together it's impossible to determine where his nectar begins and where hers ends. The only thing that's certain is the warm sensation both are feeling; if hearts could burst from pure contentment their hearts would have. So thoroughly undone, they stare into each other's eyes allowing their bodies to calm. Olivia pulls his head to her and kisses him. She's still so ravenous for him; too much of Fitzgerald Grant III was never enough. After a few moments, he slips out of her and carries her into the bedroom. There is no doubt love making is what they'd be doing..all night.

The next morning, in between kisses they help each other dress. Fitz buttons her blouse, she fixes his tie. And his shirt is clean and crisp! Olivia hadn't had time to press her hair; serendipity really. Today, she was ready to show the world who she was. She was finally at that place.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" He asks. "We haven't informed anyone."

"Good. If we tell anyone, Cyrus especially, they'll only try to stop us."

Fully dressed they gaze at each other, love overwhelming their hearts.

"I love you!" She proclaims.

He smiles and kisses her ever so tenderly.

"I love you, too."

Their hands intertwine. Olivia exhales, "Let's do this."

A few minutes later, they walk out of her apartment expecting a throng of reporters. Bemusement is visible on their faces at the sight of only one news van waiting. They look at each other knowingly.

"Abby." They say in unison, with gratitude in their hearts. Kimberly Mitchell walks up to them with a mic and a camera man in tow.

"It looks like I'm the only one getting the scoop on the President and his mistress."

Fitz quickly corrects, "The President and his better half."

Olivia grins, as does Kimberly. Ms. Mitchell felt like she had known about their love, and she had always liked Olivia Pope. Fitz and Olivia stand by the stairs as they narrate their "disgusting" fairytale to Kimberly Mitchell. Their hearts never felt lighter.

Washington DC was going to be a whole new world.

THE END


End file.
